1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an aerodynamic stabilizer safety device for use with motor vehicles, especially race cars. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for assisting motor vehicles to remain on the road surface during a spin-out at high speeds.
2. The Prior Art
When race cars are properly aligned on a race track their tires tend to remain on the track surface even at high speeds when the cars use wind deflection devices such as rear deck spoilers and the like. However, occasionally race cars spin-out at high speeds, i.e., they rotate, usually in a counter clockwise direction. At the high speeds, say 140 miles per hour and higher, the aerodynamic forces at certain angles during the spin-out cause the vehicle to lift off of the track leaving the driver with no way of controlling the car.
As the car spins, the air passing over the hood, roof and rear deck lowers the air pressure--just like the lift on an airplane wing--sufficiently to cause the car to lift off the track. As the car rotates past 90.degree. during spin-out, the rear of the vehicle becomes the leading edge. The sudden lowering in air pressure on the vehicle's horizontal surface during spin-out--when the yaw angle ranges from 70.degree. to about 150.degree. when the vehicle is going over 140 miles per hour--causes the vehicle to lift off the surface of the track.
It is thus desirable to incorporate devices into the cars which while maintaining maximum speed will increase safety during spin-out by killing lift (pressure), increasing aerodynamic drag (Speed) and regain or maintain tire traction. For example, in co-pending application U.S. patent application Ser. No. 182,411, filed Jan. 14, 1994, for Aerodynamic Stabilizer For Use With A Motor Vehicle, there is disclosed an aerodynamic stabilizer assembly mounted in the rear of the roof of a vehicle in which a pair of pivotedly mounted air deflection panels are caused to pivot between a lowered passive position and a raised active turbulence producing position. The air deflection panels create significant air turbulence across the roof area resulting in killing a major portion of the lift and increasing aerodynamic drag. However, there remains some areas where the air stream passing over the hood, roof and rear deck of the car at certain angles during spin-out that are not effected by the air deflection panels.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved aerodynamic stabilizing for increasing the safety of motor vehicles, especially race cars, during spin-out.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for deflecting the movement of air across the roof of a moving vehicle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an air deflector positioned to create air turbulence as the air passes across the rear window of a car during a spin-out.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device for creating air turbulence as air passes across the hood of a car during a spin-out.